Instigated by technological and political change, Europe's rural areas have undergone profound and all-pervasive restructuring processes. Although the impact of these processes has often been depicted negatively, this is not always the case. Bringing together a range of comparative case studies from France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, the UK and other countries, this book provides a comprehensive and balanced picture of rural change over the past five decades. It explores which aspects of the European countryside have benefited and which have suffered as a consequence of the often contradictory forces of restructuring. The book looks into economic aspects as well as into the social impact of rural change. The final part examines regional issues and illustrates how different rural areas have responded to the transformative pressures.

This edited volume is the sixth publication of the series "Rural areas: Issues of local and regional development". It aims at intensifying scholarly exchange on topical questions of social, political, economic and landscape-related transformations of rural areas in Germany and Europe. Europe is a meaningful frame and research topic for rural geography. This edited volume assembles 14 contributions from various countries that shed light on the variety, as well as the differences and commonalities of rural regions in Europe. The volume aims at initiating general reflections about common development mechanisms and structures in the European context in contrast with specific national conditions and path dependencies. By assembling both regional and country case studies as well as cross-national comparisons, the anthology provides a sound basis for future European research in rural geography. It pleads for more cross-national and comparative approaches.

This book examines the multiple ways in which rural regions in Europe are being restructured through globalization and the regional development responses that they have adopted. It provides an understanding of the key challenges and opportunities for rural regions arising from the major economic, social, political and cultural changes associated with globalization, including trade liberalization and economic deregulation, increased international migration, and the rise of global consciousness about environmental issues. Drawing on examples and findings from a major European research project, DERREG, the book presents detailed case studies of ten regions in different parts of Europe, exploring the factors that lead to different experiences of globalization in each of the regions, and highlighting examples of good practice in regional development responses. The book concludes by proposing a typology of regional responses to globalization and considering the policy implications of the research findings. As such, ’Globalization and Europe’s Rural Regions’ is important reading for geographers, sociologists, planners and economists interested in understanding the impact of globalization in rural regions, and for rural development professionals seeking to mobilize effective responses.

International Labour Migration to Europe's Rural Regions brings together intimate descriptions, theoretical analyses, and policy recommendations for this novel phenomenon that has the potential to transform lives of international migrants and local communities in Europe's rural regions.

International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, Second Edition, Fourteen Volume Set embraces diversity by design and captures the ways in which humans share places and view differences based on gender, race, nationality, location and other factors—in other words, the things that make people and places different. Questions of, for example, politics, economics, race relations and migration are introduced and discussed through a geographical lens. This updated edition will assist readers in their research by providing factual information, historical perspectives, theoretical approaches, reviews of literature, and provocative topical discussions that will stimulate creative thinking. Presents the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage on the topic of human geography Contains extensive scope and depth of coverage Emphasizes how geographers interact with, understand and contribute to problem-solving in the contemporary world Places an emphasis on how geography is relevant in a social and interdisciplinary context

Rural Accessibility in European Regions explores concepts, methodologies, and case studies dealing with accessibility in European rural areas, embracing cultural, socioeconomic, and governance aspects that play a key role for accessibility policies in rural and peripheral areas. In the first part, the chapters introduce rural accessibility challenges, present a methodology to support policymaking for enhancing accessibility in rural areas and apply it to case studies in the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Sweden. In the second part, additional cases from Poland, Germany, Greece, and France provide alternative approaches to the topic, and a research agenda is proposed. Overall, the book contributes to a conceptualisation of rural accessibility, addressing challenges and potentials for rural accessibility and urban–rural relationships in European regions. The book fills a gap in the existing bodies of literature on accessibility and on rural planning, bridging the two spheres with an interdisciplinary approach to rural accessibility for mobility, planning, and regional studies.